Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

In Cary v. Unknown Phol, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161038 (WD MI, Sept. 20, 2018), a Michigan federal district court adopted a magistrate’s recommendation (2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161103, July 2, 2018) and dismissed a Native American inmate’s complaint that he was deprived of his medicine bag while he was in administrative segregation.

In Williams v. Delaware County Board of Prison Inspectors, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 161342 (ED PA, Sept. 20, 2018), a Pennsylvania federal district court allowed a Muslim inmate to move ahead with his complaint regarding access to religious services, inability to wear his kufi outside his cell, and inability to speak with an Imam.

In California Department of State Hospitals v. A.H., 2018 Cal. App. LEXIS 838 (CA App., Sept. 21, 2018), a California appellate court rejected a religious defense to an order for involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication.

In Keystone v. Ponton, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16105 (WD VA, Sept. 21, 2018), a Virginia federal district court dismissed a claim by a Mennonite inmate that he did not receive a diet compatible with his religious beliefs.

In Stewart v. Jackson, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 162473 (ND IN, Sept. 21, 2018), an Indiana federal magistrate judge allowed an inmate to file an amended complaint alleging religious discrimination when the chaplain refused to take him off the halal diet after he informed the chaplain that he had diabetes and could not continue Ramadan.

In Firewalker-Fields v. Lee, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 162565 (WD VA, Sept. 24, 2018), a Virginia federal district court allowed a Sunni Muslim inmate to move ahead with his complaint that Muslim inmates in segregation are not allowed to congregate for prayer, even by television programming, on Fridays and can only observe televised nondenominational Christian programs on Sundays.

In Gonzalez v. Rivera, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 162371 (ED AR, Sept. 21, 2018), an Arkansas federal district court adopted a magistrate’s recommendation (2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163054, Aug. 17, 2018) and dismissed an inmate’s complaint that he was not permitted to attend a Catholic Easter meal and was not given meal provisions for a Good Friday fast.